The invention relates to surface plate and slideway elements made from natural rock or artificial rock formed by means of a bonding material.
Surface plate and slideway elements made from natural rock or artificial rock formed by means of a bonding material is nowadays used to a considerable extent in technology. The surface or straightening plate generally is formed from natural granite or serpentine (massive or fibrous, often mottled green or yellow, hydrous magnesium silicate) or in some cases artificially produced granite or serpentine. In the case of diamond turning or milling machines, the complete machine bed is often made from rock and the slideway elements are also made from such a material.
The rock surface plates and slideways are subject to unavoidable wear during use. In order to ensure the necessary complete flatness, surface plate must be reworked and measured at certain intervals. This is also necessary in the case of slideway elements made from rock and which are subject to wear during use.
Considerable time losses and high costs result from these constantly recurring maintenance and control activities.
A low friction coefficient is of considerable advantage both in the case of surface plates on which workpieces are moved backwards and forwards and on slideway elements which are moved relative to one another.
It should be noted that a relatively high friction coefficient must be expected when pairing metallic workpieces with those made from rock and when pairing individual rockmade workpieces.